Posted by Vee | January 1, 2010, 10:19 (EST) | 10 Comments
Category: TV Series
Happy 2010, everyone! A new year means new Vampire Diaries episodes right around the corner – Thursday, January 21st, to be exact. As we eagerly await Bloodlines (and the slew of new faces), we thought we’d highlight our favorite Vampire Diaries TV recappers – the smart, the witty, and the comprehensive (meaning they don’t hold back on a good fan!squee or pull their punches when they’re dissatisfied). If you’re not regularly reading these recaps, you’re missing out on some insightful TVDtv commentary. Get familiar and get following before Vampire Diaries returns with all-new episodes.
This is by no means meant to be a comprehensive list – there are a lot of recaps out there. Have a favorite? Let everyone know in the comments.
Carina MacKenzie (Los Angeles Times)
Twitter: @cadlymack
Carina MacKenzie is not only a card-carrying member of Team Matt (which always gets you on Red’s good side), she’s given us the best Vampire Diaries-related Kevin Williamson interview to date. Her recaps read like the running commentary you’d have while watching with friends – spontaneous, a little impressionistic, and a whole lot of fun.
Our favorite recap so far: Lost Girls
Choice quote:
Their old camaraderie made the present-day moment when Damon pulled a wooden bullet out of Stefan’s chest all the more powerful. “If anyone’s gonna kill you,” Damon hissed, saving his brother’s life, “it’s going to be me.” It’s a vamped-out version of your everyday sibling rivalry. I mean, I can tease my little sisters until I run out of words, but I’d be furious if anyone else did it. Stefan gave Damon back the ring despite it becoming increasingly clear that killing Damon is the only way to end his reign of terror. Beneath 145 years of animosity, the Salvatores still remember what it’s like to be brothers. I think that’ll become even more important in the upcoming episodes..
Cindy McLennan (Television Without Pity)
Twitter: @CindyMcLennan
Television Without Pity’s recaps are legendary and for (mostly) good reason – there is no cow too sacred, no character exempt from their own hyphenated nickname, and no “WTF?” moment above scrutiny. Yet, despite the trademark snark (tradesnark?), Cindy McLennan has an obvious affection for the series and the recaps are massive.
Our favorite recap so far: The Turning Point
Choice quote:
Warehouse Exterior; Day: Caroline holds the ACTUAL VAMPIRE COMPASS while Damon instructs her, via cell phone, to wait there for him. He can’t use the instrument himself on account of being an ACTUAL VAMPIRE. They bicker for a moment, and then Damon hypnotizes her — instructing her to go home and forget all about what they’ve just done. She sounds like the Buffy-bot as she perks, “Okay, bye now.” I think Damon rolls his eyes at her, but I’ve temporarily lost the ability to process this scene, because I’m so annoyed that not one person who knows better — Stefan, Elena, Sheriff Forbes, or hell — at this point, even Bonnie, has given this child some Vervain. And actually despite that, I’m also sort of torn, because I enjoy watching these two work together. I’m just tired of her being his buttmonkey. You know?
Lucia (Heroine TV)
Twitter: @heroine_tv
Lucia would have ended up on this list even if she wasn’t a friend of the site (please see Matt: Nice Guys Finish First) because she has book knowledge, asks important questions, occasionally works herself into the same “rages” we do (it’s called being invested, kids), and her arguments are solid and always passionate.
Our favorite recap so far: The Turning Point
Choice quote:
Stefan is a bit in the dark: “What are you doing here?” Logan brings up his brother, and asks: “How can I turn into a day walker?” Stefan: “Damon and I are the only two that I know of.” Really? Again, I am very interested to know more about those rings in the TV mythology—seems quite different than in the books. Logan: “You’re both very cagey on the how, which tells me that there is a way. You know, in case you hadn’t noticed, I’m quite the celebrity in this town. It would be very very easy for me to expose you.” Stefan: “You want to know how you can walk around in the sun?” Logan: “I do.” Stefan: “You can’t. Don’t ever threaten me.” In that moment, I may possibly have swooned. It is also possibly my favorite Stefan moment (on the show) to date. It was all in the delivery. Dear show, I want more moments like that please. Sincerely, Lucia..
SB (Off-Color TV | Give Me My Remote)
Twitter: @offcolortv
SB – whose Vampire Diaries recaps appear on her own blog, Off-Color TV, and Give Me My Remote – is often hysterical (BIG bonus, if you ask us) and incredibly perceptive when it comes to the nuances. She also openly admits that while she enjoys the show exactly for what it is, she wants great television and isn’t afraid to point out when something isn’t-so-great. (Sort of like reading the posts over on the Episode Discussion forum, really. Fandom is grand.)
Our favorite recap so far: Haunted
Choice quote:
Still, I love when we see actual emotions from Damon, who is always so flippant about things on the surface. So to see him get actually angry with Elena was both awesome and a little scary. He says that nothing matters to him, but it obviously does, and I liked when he showed up on the porch and offered to take Jeremy’s memories, because it does leave you wondering what his ulterior motive is, but you also get the feeling that he might want to step in and save the day for Elena. I’m glad that earlier in the season we got that one little scene of him watching her sleep, because otherwise you wouldn’t get the more tender side of his feelings for her at all, and I think that the one scene combined with how harsh he is toward her gives you a good mix of insight and ambiguity.
Mandi Bierly (Entertainment Weekly’s PopWatch)
Twitter: @EW
EW’s PopWatch has a few recappers, but Mandi’s our favorite because she picks up on those little details. A word of advice if you haven’t read the books? Skip the comments. Fans spill huge books spoilers all the damn time (not that it matters much in relation to the TV show, but still – restraint, people!).
Our favorite recap so far: History Repeating
Choice quote:
The show did a nice fake out making us think since the pilot that Damon just wanted to make Stefan’s life miserable. After Elena told Stefan that Damon was terrorizing Bonnie so she’d give back the crystal, Stefan was determined to find out what his brother was really plotting. The first step of his plan was to continue the “I’m pretending I’m you” game the boys started in the beginning of the episode when Damon came to apologize to a gratuitously shirtless Stefan for killing his oldest friend last week. Paul Wesley and Ian Somerhalder played that bar scene perfectly, with hints of smiles that made you wonder whether it was the actors or the characters enjoying each other’s impersonations of eyebrow acting and forehead brooding. (Both probably.)
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12:25 pm on January 1st, 2010
I would have to agree with mandy about history repeating. My favorite parts are when logan comes to the door at the end and stefan and damons bar scence!
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1:02 pm on January 1st, 2010
1:22 pm on January 1st, 2010
I found this recap after Julie Plec singled it out and totally on the same page with her about it being so mean yet so good at the same time.
http://bit.ly/1RNc8H
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1:26 pm on January 1st, 2010
CORRECTION:
Mandi Bierly is has her own Twitter
twitter.com/EWMandiBierly
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1:27 pm on January 1st, 2010
1:34 pm on January 1st, 2010
2:04 pm on January 1st, 2010
She spells her name “Mandi” and not “Mandy,” right?
http://twitter.com/EWMandiBierly
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8:33 pm on January 1st, 2010
9:34 pm on January 1st, 2010
2:27 am on January 2nd, 2010